ENGLEWOOD – Brock Osweiler remains the Denver Broncos’ starting quarterback but Peyton Manning might practice this week for the first time since mid-November.
Then again, maybe he’s not ready.
Coach Gary Kubiak didn’t have a lot of answers regarding his QB situation when he met with the media Monday afternoon.
He said he’d been too busy watching film of Denver’s 15-12 loss to Oakland and meeting with the team to get together with Manning or the medical staff and determine this week’s plan for No. 18.
“I’ll visit with Peyton here this afternoon before he leaves,” Kubiak said.
Manning has been sidelined for a month with a left foot injury. He resumed throwing last week on his own under the watchful eyes of the strength and conditioning staff. But he has yet to practice with the team since having his hard cast removed and ditching his walking boot two weeks ago.
“We went through a good week last week, gave him the weekend off, so we’ll see where we’re at,” Kubiak said. “We’ll have a plan in place by the time we get to Wednesday, but we’ll see where we’re at today and kind of take it a day at a time.”
Asked if he expects Osweiler to start Sunday at Pittsburgh, Kubiak said: “Yeah, nothing has changed until I sit down and see exactly where Peyton is at, where we’re moving this week.”
Manning watched the game from the sideline Sunday, the first time he’s done that.
The Broncos fell to 3-1 under Osweiler when they blew a 12-0 lead and squandered another outstanding effort by the league’s No. 1 defense, one that held Oakland to minus-12 yards in the first half.
Denver has struggled offensively no matter who’s at quarterback.
They’ve gone seven quarters without an offensive touchdown, but Osweiler isn’t the only reason: Demaryius Thomas and Vernon Davis had crucial drops of on-target passes in the fourth quarter Sunday that squashed their comeback bid.
Manning has said his doctors don’t know if or when he’ll be able to return to action this season.
The only certainty surrounding the league’s only five-time MVP is that he’ll have to make it back to practice before suiting up again for a game.
“That’s the next step is that he’s coming back to practice. And if you’re coming back to practice, then you’re working toward getting back on the field and playing,” Kubiak said. “So, let me see where we’re at.”
